People from the Chinese mainland invaded Japan through Korea in Prehistoric times. Japan did not emerge from a primitive tribal state until the 6th century A.D about the time Buddhism arrived.
Until the 9th century, China and Japan are almost indistinguishable from one another. A period of internal wars and strife showed the Japanese character to be calm and controlled on the outside but ferocious and cruel when necessary. After this period of internal wars, Japan was welded into one nation and developed their own artistic style.
Painting was much more realistic and emotional than Chinese showing scenes from everyday life rather than the calm and spiritual scenes of the Chinese. The Japanese used a firm hard outline and bright colour. Chinese was more soft, gentle subdued colour.
In Japan the Zen form of Buddhism became more popular than the ancient ancestor worship religion of Shinto. Japanese sculpture resembled the Chinese but it was in Architecture that something very original was invented. Because of the frequency of serious earthquakes in Japan the European method of building with bricks and masonry would have been disastrous.